Priority for Albany

The state legislature is expected to meet December 13 for a lame-duck session that offers a last chance this year to lift the cap that is stifling the development of new charter schools in the state. Time is of the essence, because if new schools are to open to students in September, teachers must be hired, students must be recruited, and sites must be procured now. At least seven schools are in the applications pipeline for New York City, but even that number is artificially deflated by the knowledge in the school-starting community that the charter cap has been reached. If the Legislature doesn't lift the cap next week, chances are nil that any new charter schools will open in the fall of 2007.

Aides to Mayor Bloomberg say that lifting the cap is the education mayor's top legislative priority in Albany for the lame-duck session. The existing cap of 100 schools statewide was set by the 1998 law establishing charter schools. The chancellor, Joel Klein, on behalf of all New Yorkers, is pushing for 200 more charter schools statewide. All New Yorkers would be better off if Messrs. Klein and Bloomberg get what they want, which would have the added benefit of giving Governor Pataki a policy accomplishment to go out with — and of allowing thousands more New York schoolchildren into schools that they chose and that excite them.